Taking a break

Blog friends...After much thought, I've decided to put Blue Mango on hiaitus for the foreseeable future. Rather than commit the ultimate blog sin of having a blog that is rarely updated, I'd rather go "off season" and perhaps come back stronger than ever.
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I'll be on Air Force duty for several months this year, floating in and out of town, and continuing to push my consulting work at night. I just don't think I have the time or energy to blog. Of course, if I suddenly get a burst of energy, that could change. You might want to subscribe to the blog so you get an update notice.
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I still plan to check in with my favorite bloggers each week, so I'll see you around! Thank you so much for all the love and support you've given me here!

Mocha Trifle

Here's a simple and yummy trifle recipe. I whipped one up for a dinner party tonight (pictured above). You can customize this with various flavors.
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I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownies. For the filling, I mixed instant cheesecake pudding w/ a shot of Starbucks coffee liqueur. Then folded in Cool Whip. Layered it three times and then shaved a Ghirardelli dark chocolate bar on top. You could use amaretto or rum, or just go w/ the pudding flavor of your choice. You can also use Skor bars or any candy bar you love!
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This is awesome w/ coffee!

Friday Cocktail: Young@Heart

Today's Friday Cocktail is a bit off the beaten path. My good friend, Pat, told me about a documentary called Young@Heart, about a group of senior citizens from Northampton, Massachusetts who formed a chorus. That sounds pretty simple, but the story is much more piognant and interesting when you hear these folks perform.
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First cocktail is Fred Knittle of the chorus singing Coldplay's "Fix You". Fred just died this month after battling COPD. You can see in the video that he is physically handicapped by his condition, which brings an entirely new dimension to Chris Martin's lyrics. Even more poignant, Fred was supposed to sing the song as a duet with his friend Joe Benoit. Unfortunately, Joe died two days before the performance, lending even another layer of depth to Fred's delivery.
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Second cocktail features the chorus singing Bob Dylan's "Young at Heart" to a group of prison inmates. By the end of the song, the inmates are virtually in tears. A very poignant performance by seasoned humans reaching out to those whose youth is being spent paying penance.
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And for good measure, I threw in a granny singing Nirvana's "Come as You Are" on the sidebar.
Will these folks win a Grammy? Probably not. But they bring an age and passion to the music that gives it a whole new experience. Enjoy!

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Chair update...the "after" photos!

Well, here's the new desk chair, a little wrinkled but back from my seamstress. She does great work. Not only is there a hidden zipper, but also hidden supports under the seat to keep it from shifting when you sit on it.

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There's a story behind the fabric. I have a designer friend (Sharon from Serendipity) who is always willing to use her discount for me. I had her price out a few fabrics I liked. Even with her discount, the prices ranged from $80-$135/yard. Now, I needed 3-4 yards, so that owuld have made this slipcover running into several hundred dollars. I am willing to pay for quality, but I am just way too frugal for that, esp in a recession!

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So, as is normally the case, I took my time and kept looking, with my "vision" in mind. I found this fabric on sale for $17.50/yd! Slam dunk! ☼

Saturday hike

Superstition Wilderness (my photo)

and from the Hike AZ website

Saturday, my friend Padi and I joined a local hiking group for a wonderful trek through the Hackberry Springs Loop in the Superstition Wilderness. The Wildnerness is a federal site comprised of 160,000 acres of pristine and dramatic beauty. The Superstition Mountains are located southeast of Phoenix and are home to the "Lost Dutchman Mine". It was an easy 5-mile hike and the weather was gorgeous. We got to climb over some big boulders and we encountered several easy water crossings. Really fun!

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I shot this very short video with my daughter's pocket camera. It doesn't show much and the color is kind of washed out, but it's all I managed to get!☼

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Paris Combo - Living Room

This Friday, the cocktail is a Parisian aperitif: the postmodern cabaret quintet, Paris Combo. Fronted by Belle du Berry, the band combines elements of traditional French chanson, jazz and swing as well as world rhythms. There's another good song, "Attraction", on the sidebar.
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Salut!

"Drink More Tea"

I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions in general, but I did decide to try to drink more tea in 2009. More than just drinking, I want to experiment with different varieties and methods of preparation.
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As if channeling my very thoughts, Mike and I stumbled on the new Teavana store while shopping at the Biltmore Fashion Square here in Phoenix and sampled some great teas. What a cool store! Then, out of the blue, I received an invitation to a friend's home for tea last Friday, and sampled a delicious green tea that my friend had infused with cardamom and some other spices. It was the best green tea/chai I've ever tried.
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My favorite tea, though, tends to be black teas, especially Irish Breakfast and English Breakfast teas. I am also enjoying rooibos (African red bush tea). My South African neighbor, Anthea, insists I must infuse with loose tea and not use the bagged variety. I bought a tea press (see the video to the right) and have been experimenting with pressing loose black tea. It is really good, although it takes some experimentation to learn the right amount of tea, water temperature, and brewing time. Next up will be to make a really strong concentrate with the press to use in iced tea.
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Thus far, I think this is one New Year's resolution that is going to be easy to keep! What are your favorite teas and methods for preparing/serving?